March 15, 2006
By Jeff Leys
On February 15, four of us began a liquids only fast at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Two of us are consuming only water; two of us are consuming juice. We intend to fast through March 20, as the U.S. enters its fourth year of occupying Iraq.
We began our fast on February 15 to recall the massive global mobilization against the impending U.S. led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Three years ago, millions of people took to the streets around the world in the largest mobilization ever to try to prevent a war from starting. At that time, talk was that a new global superpower had emerged to challenge the growing U.S. military empire.
Three years later, we must pause to wonder what has become of the emerging global superpower of peace and justice. In the U.S., it seems to have winnowed itself down to semi-annual demonstrations which bear little relation to strategic timing to try to thwart the war machine. This is not to say that the national demonstrations organized by United for Peace and Justice, ANSWER and others are not critical, nor to say that these actions do not play a role in building the broader antiwar movement. One of the key roles such actions play is creating the opportunity for local activists to network with and learn from each other on the long bus rides to and from D.C. But it is to ask the question: why is the spring mobilization against the war happening on the weekend leading up to May Day—long after the House of Representatives, and most likely the Senate, will have approved an additional $65 billion to be spent on the war against Iraq and Afghanistan during the current fiscal year? That’s another $65 billion to be spent between now and September 30.
The global superpower of peace is out there, spread amongst our local communities throughout the United States. It is there in the form of local vigils, demonstrations, teach-ins and growing civil disobedience. But we need to ask ourselves: what is it that each of us can do—individually and collectively—to further intensify, strengthen and deepen our nonviolent opposition and resistance to the 15 year long war our country is waging against Iraq.
While much good is happening at the local level to oppose this war, there is also a noxious sense of powerlessness which has emerged and become incorporated by those who oppose this war. While vigiling at the Capitol, we get the usual catcalls from a very small number of people. Most people simply walk by without acknowledging us. Another small number of people stop to talk with us about what can be done to end this war.
Then there’s the most problematic group: those who oppose the war but will not pick up the phone to call their Representative and Senators to tell them to vote against the supplemental spending bill which will provide another $65 billion for this war. These people have given up. They have willingly ceded their power to those who will wage war. They shuffle by secure in their own self-created world that they are on the “right” side of history because they say they oppose the war. But the reality is that they are entirely complicit in and collaborate with the machinery of death in this country by acquiescing with their silence.
And so I come to our nation’s Capitol to fast, vigil, lobby and break the law. In large measure, this fast is directed towards Congress. Representatives and Senators must begin to take the steps to end this war. They must vote against any more funding for the war against Iraq. It was a lonely time when Ernest Gruening and Wayne Morse were the only two Senators who voted against the Gulf of Tonkin resolution which led the U.S. into Vietnam. Gaylord Nelson joined this lonely duo when he voted against the escalation of the war in 1965. At least one, single, solitary Senator must find the fortitude to stand up and take the risks that their predecessors did. But they won’t unless we exercise our right and responsibility to urge them to vote against the Iraq war—and hold them accountable through nonviolent civil disobedience and civil resistance.
I fast in solidarity with the Iraqi people who not only are enduring military warfare but are also enduring economic warfare. Last April, the United Nations Development Programme stated that nearly eight percent of Iraqi children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition. That’s nearly 300,000 children under the age of five who truly have no hope for their future.
I fast in solidarity with Iraqi people who face the bleak prospect of a reactionary restructuring of the public food distribution system. Sixty percent of the Iraqi people depend upon this system for sustenance. To comply with terms imposed by the International Monetary Fund through a “standby arrangement”, Iraq will monetize the food ration system—placing it on a cash basis system (whether through ration cards, cash allotments or some other mechanism). The probability is great that this will cause significant disruption and suffering for Iraqi people.
I fast in solidarity with Iraqi people whose access to affordable fuel is being cut. Again because of I.M.F. strictures, Iraq has greatly reduced fuel subsidies. Reduction of fuel subsidies is extending to those fuels used to heat homes and prepare food, not simply to the ability to drive cars. When fuel subsidies were cut in December rioting occurred throughout Iraq and the Ministry of Oil resigned. Fuel costs are scheduled to increase 10 times by the end of this year.
I fast in solidarity with Iraqi people who lack electricity and safe drinking water. Lack of electricity, sewage systems and safe drinking water combine to create an on-going crisis in health care. Water borne diseases remain widespread in Iraq and hospitals continue to lack basic medical supplies. And yet the response of the United States has been to cut funding for the reconstruction of the power grid and of water projects. Insufficient as the funds were, in 2003 Congress allocated $4.3 billion for reconstruction in the water sector. These funds were sliced in half—to only $2.1 billion. In 2003, Congress allocated $5.56 billion to the electricity sector. This allocation was sliced to $4.3 billion (or nearly a 25 percent cut). All the while more and more funds were being approved for “security” and warmaking.
Our choice is clear in this country. We can wallow in our own mire and give up hope. We can say that we’ve given it our best and our best hasn’t been good enough. We can say that the powers-that-be our too strong and will never give in. If this be our position, then a curse be upon us all.
Or we can get back to the basics of organizing and building to end this war. We need to use every lever available to us to end this war. We must use lobbying of our Representatives and Senators. As unglorious as that is, and as frustrating as it is at times, they are the ones who control the purse strings for this war. If they don’t hear from us, they will have no reason to vote against the war funding.
We must also hold our Representatives and Senators accountable. If they do not vote to end this war, we must organize regular vigils and civil disobedience at their offices. We must let them know that we won’t give them a free pass in the next election.
We must continue to organize local vigils, demonstrations, teach-ins, letter writing parties, etc. But we must also begin to figure out what the next step is in our individual and collective life to deepen, strengthen and intensify our nonviolent resistance to the war against Iraq. The people of Iraq deserve nothing less from us.
